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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23775721">Infinite Timelines</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherGayEllen/pseuds/AnotherGayEllen'>AnotherGayEllen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Nate Heywood, Bisexual Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Zari 2.0, Zari Centric, no beta we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:14:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,744</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23775721</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherGayEllen/pseuds/AnotherGayEllen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zari had begun to find herself thinking of Charlie. Not anything obsessive, just… It feels like Charlie has an endlessly fascinating life. Like anything she’d have to say, Zari’d want to hear it.<br/>Basically, Zari just wants to know everything.</p><p>Of course, it's not like Zari doesn't have more important stuff to worry about, after all, it seems that Nate's obsession might actually have a reason.</p><p>[Discontinued, sorry, rip Zarlie, gone but nor forgotten]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Behrad Tomaz | Behrad Tarazi &amp; Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, Charlie &amp; Behrad Tomaz, Charlie/Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Nate Heywood &amp; Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Infinite Timelines</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wanted to write all of the fic before posting it but fuck it I want attention now.<br/>Plus the new episode will come out in two days and kind of ruin my fic so it's now or never.<br/>Charlie isn't on this one but there's plenty of pining in Zari's part and an important conversation with Nate. Leave kudos if you like it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ever since they met, Charlie caught Zari’s eye. On first impressions it was just the fashion, all the spikes and chokers, and animal prints, it's not always that someone can pull that off. 

</p><p>As Zari began to learn more about her, her interest only grew.</p><p>It started small. Zari found herself looking at Charlie from time to time, almost as if observing a wild animal. Her strong, almost over the top accent, her loud, kind of careless mannerisms; and something particularly interesting - Charlie’s flirting. She didn't catch up immediately, but the way Charlie first bit her lip when talking to her is when Zari knew that she knew what she was doing.</p><p> Suddenly Zari’s interest in her became even bigger.</p><p>What can she say? She likes to be appreciated. Especially by someone like Charlie.</p><p>Zari also began to find herself thinking of her. Not anything obsessive, just… It feels like Charlie has an endlessly fascinating life. Like anything she’d have to say, Zari’d want to hear it.</p><p>She tries to think of all she could ask her. What it feels like to shapeshift, what her childhood was like, if she even had one, millions of years ago, if she was lonely after leaving her sisters.</p><p>Even all that basic stuff seems better when it comes to Charlie. What she likes to eat, what she does for fun, what are her interests, apart from like, rock and roll and anarchy.</p><p>What’s her type. </p><p>Basically, Zari just wants to know everything.</p><p>It’s a weird feeling, but she can’t help it. </p><p>People seem to think that, because she has high self-esteem, Zari only thinks about herself, which isn’t true. Not if you’re as interesting as Charlie. Something that, for an example, that Nate guy is not.</p><p>He’s a bit better now, but even apart from the ‘obsessed with her’ thing, he just seems kind of basic, especially in comparison to Charlie, the sarcastic rebel shapeshifter who’s also a divine being and super hot. Maybe anyone would seem basic next to her.</p><p>Sometimes Zari can’t help even think of her in the middle of the night. She twists and turns and meditates in bed and still, Charlie just won’t leave her alone. That's about what's happening right now. </p><p>She should probably go to sleep. Oh, if only she could. Maybe some chamomile tea could help. Well, it’s worth the try, she supposes. It’s not like it’s easy to get used to sleeping on a ship where time basically doesn’t exist.</p><p>Zari gets up and puts her silk robe over her nightdress, since it’s usually a little cold on the Waverider, and her hair is on pigtails she wears so that it doesn’t get too messy at night. It’s a pretty cute look on her if she can say so herself.</p><p>On her way to the kitchen, she notices someone is already there. The first thing she thinks is that it could be Charlie. She hopes it is. She puts her pigtails in front of her shoulders and opens her robe so that her blue nightgown shows and then walks in.</p><p>And Nate is there. </p><p>“Oh, it’s you,” she says, letting out a small sigh. Ok, the tone was kind of mean.</p><p>“Zari, hi.” His eyes light up a little and he smiles slightly, but he’s obviously kind of bummed.</p><p>Zari already has a clue what might be making him sad, but she’s a nice person, so she asks anyway. </p><p>“So, what'cha doing up?” She asks as she opens the cabinet closet to start making her tea. Gideon may be able to make it for her, but she’s used to making it herself, so it helps the routine of putting her to sleep.</p><p>“I’m sad eating,” he says, between spoonfuls of vanilla ice cream.</p><p>“Still sad about Ray?”</p><p>“I mean, it has been only four days, so …” Ok, that’s fair. They had that heart to heart about Ray the day he left, and it was nice (even though Zari didn’t know a lot about the guy), but it makes sense that Nate’d still be upset, I mean, he was his best friend. “But I don’t want to talk about it right now, I know he needed to move on and he’s doing what’s best for him and all, I just- I still need to mourn a little.”</p><p>Zari takes her teacup and sits in front of Nate, nodding her head. Not talking would be kind of preferred for her right now.</p><p>“But we could talk about something else…” he fake shrugs and looks up to her with a mouth full of ice cream. Gross. Do they really have to? </p><p>“What do you want to talk about?” She decides she’ll do her best not to be rude. And like, they’re living in the same time ship now so they should start to actually get along now, right? Maybe after knowing him a little better, they might become friends, who knows? </p><p>“I don’t know… What you’ve been thinking of the Waverider... Of us, like, of, of the Legends. Sara, Mick, Ava… Me.” Oh boy. And we’re back to this. Ok, no, Zari’s had enough, somebody’s gotta be honest with him.</p><p>“Ok. So, Nate, I feel like I just have to make one thing clear. This,” she gestures, “isn’t going to happen. Like, ever. You’re cute and all but I’m not into you that way,” she says flatly.</p><p>“But- don’t you feel it? This, like, thing, that is connecting us since we met.” Zari frowns. He's been saying this ever since they met, and it doesn't make any more sense than that first time. Nate sighs. “It’s just that- This is going to sound weird, but keep in mind that we’re superheroes on a time-traveling ship; I think I knew you on a different timeline.” </p><p> A well earned confused pause. Nate continues: </p><p>“When I was fixing Gideon, she showed me a video message of someone that looked exactly like you, and she said something about having changed her future at Heyworld.” He pauses. “She also said she loved me. And I have a feeling that I loved her too.”</p><p>Wow, ok. This is a lot to process. Zari was barely getting used to the whole ‘time travel and superpowers’ thing, now she has to deal with… Herself in a different timeline? And in that timeline, she was into Nate? Ew.</p><p>“Nate, I don’t…”</p><p>“You don’t have to say anything right now, I know this is a lot to process I just, I had to tell you. I mean, we used to have something, you- you said you loved me. And ever since Heyworld it feels like something was missing and I feel like it's you. And if that’s true, that means there must be a way that we can bring you back and… Maybe that we can be together again.”</p><p>Oh no. That doesn’t feel right. Zari can kind of understand what Nate is trying to say but… She’s already herself. She has a life, and a past and a personality, and she likes who she is, she doesn’t want to be somebody else. Even if it’s another version of her. </p><p>Zari bites her inner cheek and sighs, “Nate, the thing is…” she puts her hands on the table and relaxes her back, shaking her head. “I don’t think I’m ever going to be this Zari that loved you. Even though I don’t know a lot about time travel, I just don’t think it’s possible.” She looks away and tries to find a way to explain it. “You said that this other Zari comes from a different timeline, which means she lived a completely different life than mine. Who we are, isn’t defined by our names, genes and incredibly hot looks; who we are is all about our thoughts, our feelings, our personality. And that isn’t something that just comes with us when we’re born.” </p><p>She pauses, trying to put thoughts into words, and continues: </p><p>“Who we are today is built exclusively by our life; our families, and our friends. By what we’re taught and the things we learn ourselves, those are the things that determine who we are. And those things were probably really different for other Zari and me. Even if I somehow remembered everything that she lived; that wouldn’t take away the memories I have, the life I have, that made me who I am today.”</p><p>She looks away in doubt for a second. Would she remember living both lives then? Have both personalities? Maybe just traces of a Zari over the dominant one. But is there even a dominant one? It could be other Zari since she seems to be from the timeline that existed first, or it could be her since she’s from the timeline that exists now. She decides to just drop it since it’s rather pointless to try to make sense of time travel. </p><p>Nate’s still pretty bummed. He’s fidgeting with his hands over the table, his back almost touching the bottom of the chair. That posture’s really not good for him.</p><p>“But, still… I’m pretty sure she’s not coming back; and that I’ll never be her.” She pauses and twists her face a little. “And actually, apart from the standard amount everyone loves me, that means I don’t even think you like me that much. You’re just always thinking of this other person who has my name and this pretty face.” She gestures with a small smile and her hands under her chin.</p><p>Nate doesn’t seem much better. He seems sadder but more disappointed than frustrated as he was before; maybe he’s coming to terms that ‘Other Zari’ is gone. He has lost puppy eyes. </p><p>“I’m sorry. It must be hard to lose someone that cute.” Zari says with utmost sincerity, nodding slightly with her head.</p><p>Stopping the fidgeting of hands for a moment, Nate finally responds:</p><p>“No, you’re right. And I didn’t even remember her that well, I just- I got that message from her so I know she exists, but apart from that, I just have this feeling. Like I know she’s supposed to be a part of my life, I know she’s supposed to be here, and that… When she was, we had something special. Something real. And I can barely even remember what that was.“</p><p>Guess we know why he stopped fidgeting, Nate is a gesturer. Zari presses her lips together and nods her head sympathetically. He continues:</p><p>“And besides that, it; sorry, I’m going to go on a rant here, I just really need this; it makes it worse now that Ray is gone. Because that’s just losing someone else that was really important to me. And it isn’t the first time, either.” He sits up on the chair but remains with bad posture. “A couple of years back there was this girl on the ship called Amaya; the one whose face Charlie’s wearing right now.” He looks at her and gestures. “And I really thought she was the one. Even though I knew it couldn’t last, I just… I really loved her. So much. And it felt like she was it for me. After she left, I didn’t even know if I could ever be that lucky again; to find someone who was that right for me. And I didn’t, not that I really remember it at least. But now it feels like I did, like I did meet someone and fell in love and had it all again, but it was all just ripped from me. Again.” He focuses back on his hands and lowers his voice. “It almost feels like Ray and Nora got the right idea leaving after getting married. I mean, one of the people I loved was from the past and had to go back to 1942, the other gets married and leaves and the other is literally an anomaly between timelines. It’s either that or maybe the universe just doesn’t me to find love. If I keep losing them then maybe I shouldn’t even try.”</p><p>“Oh, honey…” Zari leans on the table and places her hand over his. “That’s so dumb.”</p><p>Nate looks up at her. “Do you really have to do this right now?”</p><p>“Nate. Life’s been a little rough on you, but just because you’ve through some bad break-ups, It doesn’t mean you’ll never find love. Life doesn’t give you three shots to get it right and then you’re out; life just happens. You live, you meet people; some stay and some don’t. You have the rest of your life and infinite tries to find ‘the one.’” She pauses for a moment and tilts her head with a smile, squeezing his hand. “And even beyond that, can’t you see how lucky you are? I mean, just on this ship, you’ve already found two; maybe three, I don’t exactly know what was the vibe between you and Ray after what you just said, but that’s not the point; some wonderful people who made you so happy and loved you so much. How amazing is that? You didn’t meet ‘the one’,  you met multiple people who’ve made a home in your heart. And even though they did leave, ‘It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all’.”</p><p>Nate frowns and opens his mouth for a second. “...Isn’t that from a poet? Did you just quote a poet to me?”</p><p>Zari pulls her hand back and shrugs with a hidden smile. She knows people get surprised when they find out there’s a side of her that isn’t all fame and glamour. She has layers, you know?</p><p>He points a finger at her, disbelieving. “Also, I meant to ask you, on the play earlier this week, Gideon didn’t give you the lines, right? Did you just know Romeo and Juliet by heart?”</p><p>She shrugs again, taking a sip of her tea and leaning back on her chair. She changed some things, but basically; “I took a minor in theater. I might have picked up a few things.”</p><p>Nate looks away and mumbles: “‘A few things’, you don’t just pick up the lines to an entire play.”</p><p>Zari smiles.</p><p>“You’re a good guy, Nate. If that’s what you want, you'll definitely find love again,” she says with a smile, which is quickly replaced by pursed lips. “Just not with me. I’m really not into you that way.”</p><p>Nate nods with a half-smile in his face. He gets it. “Thanks, Zari.” </p><p>“You’re welcome. I give really good advice.” She plays with one of her pigtails between her fingers.</p><p>“I think I’m gonna take the rest of this ice cream to my room and listen to old sad music until I fall asleep,” he says, grabbing the almost empty pot of ice cream and getting up. Zari nods, swallowing a sip of tea. “Good night, Zari.”</p><p>“Good night, Nate.” </p><p>Well, that was productive! Now that they managed to talk for real and understand each other, maybe they’ll become kind of friends. Of course, now that Zari knows why Nate was being so weird to her, that opens up a whole sea of more complicated, scarier questions. </p><p>This might be worse for her night of sleep than Charlie.</p><p>But strangely, even though there are a thousand questions floating through her mind right now, they all feel so vague and inconceivable that, mixed with tea and the fact that it’s currently about three hours past her usual bedtime, it really doesn’t feel like something that’ll be keeping her awake tonight. Maybe tomorrow, who knows?</p><p>I mean, fine, so there is a timeline that crashed with this one where some alternate version of Zari somehow also knew the Legends and fell in love with Nate. Again, ew. But big deal, technically there should be infinite timelines based on everyday choices people make, right? So, like, there are infinite Zari’s and Legends, this one’s just, like, more connected. And somehow left some sort of remnant in the current timeline, enough that Nate (but apparently only him) was able to notice it… And thinking about it, Zari has been having some flashes of memories that don’t really make sense… Fuck, she’s gonna have to think about it, isn’t she? Well, certainly not today, that’s a problem for future, more awake Zari.</p><p>She finishes her tea and leaves the teacup on the sink. At least this got her mind off of Charlie.</p><p>Tomorrow Zari is totally screwed.</p>
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